Pixie Dust and Dragon Tears
by D. M. Robb
Summary: Zarina is adjusting to life back in Pixie Hollow when Queen Clarion becomes gravely ill. During her effort to create a pixie dust cure for the queen, she is haunted by her past deeds, confronts the evil dragon Kyto, and faces a new temptation. Takes place immediately following The Pirate Fairy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Zarina pushed aside tall flowers and grass as she strolled. This was just like old times, when she'd been constantly out of pixie dust, which she'd used for her experiments.

She could fly now if she wanted but chose to walk and enjoy the morning quiet. She needed that after the joyous chaos of last night's Four Seasons Festival. There were so many different things to see on the ground that she'd miss by flying over everything. Fairies and sparrow men darted about high above, tending to their duties. While Zarina had reveled in the attention all of Pixie Hollow had given her, asking endless questions about the multicolored dust that could change talents, she was grateful for the solitude.

"Zarina!" She whirled at the sound of Tinker Bell's voice. Tink, accompanied by Silvermist, Iridessa, and a red-garbed courtier, flew toward her. "Queen Clarion wants to see us."

"Why?" Zarina leaped into the air after them. Her chest tightened. It couldn't be about the blue dust, could it? That had been returned to the Dust Depot.

"We don't know." Iridessa's voice held a note of her usual panic. The courtier dashed about, urging Fawn, Rosetta, and Vidia to join them as they headed in the direction of the Pixie Dust Tree. "I hope nothing bad has happened."

"Oh, Sunflower, you fret too much," Rosetta said, primping her curls. "Queen Clarion probably just wants to congratulate us on last night's performance."

"Yeah, that's probably it," said Vidia.

"Don't look so worried, Zarina," Tink giggled. "You were sensational."

The sight of the tantalizing gold dust, flowing like a sparkling waterfall down the center of the Tree, comforted Zarina. Her friends were probably right.

"This way," said the courtier, leading them through an opening in the Tree, into a circular chamber. Queen Clarion and Fairy Gary stood in the center, speaking in low voices. Zarina studied the queen. Her skin, which had always held a vibrant glow, appeared dull and pellucid. Her elegant, butterfly-shaped wings drooped slightly and had lost some of their glitter.

Uneasiness squirmed within Zarina. Was that why she had called them here?

Clarion smiled, an expression that appeared forced. "Good morning, girls." Her voice sounded strained and breathless. "First off, I'd like to say that your performance last night was a great success. Everyone is still talking about it."

"I told you!" Rosetta whispered, her green eyes shining.

"This year's Four Seasons Festival was made even better now that Zarina has returned home to us." Zarina felt her face warm as Clarion smiled at her. "But I have a few questions I'd like you girls to answer. The Festival lasted even longer than the previous ones. It appears we skipped at least two days between performances. We had just watched the Winter fairies at night, followed by those giant poppies. Suddenly it was daylight and you all rode in on that flying pirate ship. And there is the matter of the blue dust you had returned." Zarina tensed. It wasn't enough that her friends had forgiven her. She should have known she'd have to answer to Queen Clarion and Fairy Gary. "I am grateful you returned it but I'd like to know how it went missing in the first place. Did you happen to see who took it?"

Zarina gulped. "Queen Clarion, I—"

"It was pirates, Your Majesty." Tink's hand firmly clasped Zarina's shoulder.

"Yes, pirates!" the others echoed.

"We had a fierce battle but we beat them and took back the dust," said Fawn, tugging on her long braid.

Zarina stared at the floor, fixing her gaze on a dapple of sunlight. Why were they defending her? She was filled with a mixture of guilt and gratitude.

"Now, girls, I believe the part about the pirates, since you brought a ship back to prove it," said Clarion. "But you all know very well that humans can't enter Pixie Hollow without us allowing it. Even blundering humans not looking for our home will magically bypass it, and certainly not find anything to take. What are you not telling me?"

Zarina pulled away from them and stepped forward. She bowed her head. Wisps of hair tumbled over her face but she didn't bother to brush them back. "Zarina, don't!" Tink hissed in a whisper. Zarina ignored her.

"It was me, Queen Clarion." Her throat was so tight that it hurt to release the words. "My friends are only trying to protect me. I stole the dust."

Queen Clarion's horrified gasp scraped against her ears. "No, Zarina! Why?"

She swallowed, knowing she had to reveal the whole story. "After I left, I befriended a crew of pirates. They made me their captain when I promised I could make their ship fly. That's why I needed the blue dust. I'm so sorry. I'll accept whatever punishment you—"

"But she's the one who got the dust back," said Rosetta.

"And fought off the pirates," said Iridessa.

"If it wasn't for her, the dust would have been lost forever," said Vidia.

"This is all my fault." Fairy Gary crept to Zarina's side. He placed a plump hand on her shoulder and smiled sadly down at her. His brown eyes were moist. "If only I'd listened to you in the first place and didn't dismiss your talent, this never would have happened. When I found out you'd left…I…well…" He shook his head and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"He wore trousers for an entire month, in your honor," Silvermist giggled. "Something to do with pink pixie dust."

Everyone laughed, including Zarina.

Fairy Gary turned back to her. "Can you forgive me?"

She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Yes. Of course I can, Fairy Gary." Warmth flooded her.

"I think we all learned a lesson here," said Clarion, her tone gentle. "No harm came of this so there will be no punishment." Zarina drew in a breath of relief as her friends gathered around her. "But there is the matter of what to do with that ship." The queen pointed through the window. Much of the pixie dust had worn off, leaving the ship to hover inches above the ground like a deflated balloon. A crowd of fairies and sparrow men stared up at it, some in awe, others with a dash of fear.

"Perhaps you would like to use it as a lab for your Alchemy," Fairy Gary said to Zarina. "You could even teach some of the other dust-keepers your technique."

The others murmured in agreement.

Jumbled feelings swept through Zarina as she pondered this. For the past year that ship, the _Jolly Roger, _had been her home, with a human crew that obeyed her every command, and the deceptively kind cabin boy James who had pretended to be her friend. She'd dreamed of sailing beyond the Mainland to see the entire world, even if their goal had been to plunder it. The feeling of finally having a use for her talent had excited her more than any treasure.

But the _Jolly Roger _also reminded her of their ultimate betrayal, how James and his crew had only used her to get what they wanted, then discarded her. The pain of that was still fresh.

She found she preferred her own small cottage to the vast, drafty captain's cabin, both as a lab and living quarters. She had slept better last night, overjoyed to be home among proven friends, than she had in months.

She shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but I give it to Pixie Hollow. It could be used for other things."

"Like a tool storage area," said Tink.

"Or a place for critters to hibernate," said Fawn.

"Now that that's settled, you are all free to go." Clarion suppressed a yawn. "I could use some rest to recover from last night's celebration."

"Did Queen Clarion look ill to you guys?" asked Iridessa as they flew from the Pixie Dust Tree. She nervously tugged at her fingers.

"A little," said Tink. "She's just tired, that's all. It was a big night."

"Even after two days of sleep?" Vidia raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't make sense. _We _are the ones who should be tired."

"I'm sure she's fine," said Fairy Gary. "If I know Queen Clarion, she's a fighter. She's never been sick in all the time I've known her."

Zarina longed to believe him but her concern was reflected in her friends' worried expressions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The days passed quickly as Zarina adjusted to life back in Pixie Hollow. As she added new ideas to her _Pixie Dust Experiments _journal—a dust for invisibility, transformation, and even a possible cure for fairy pox, among others—she was frequently interrupted by fairies and sparrow men who were eager to enhance their talents or try out new ones.

Fairy Gary made sure she was supplied with enough gold dust and blue dust specks for these experiments. He also encouraged her to teach some of the other dust-keepers her Alchemy but they remained only interested in sorting and packaging the dust, tasks that she used to find tedious. Whenever Zarina came up with an idea for a new kind of pixie dust, she instinctively knew the ingredients it would need, a skill the regular dust-keepers lacked. Some of them were content to stir the potions and gather the necessary ingredients.

Zarina's focus in her work was shattered by urgent whispers amongst Pixie Hollow's residents that Queen Clarion was suffering from a mysterious illness. So the queen hadn't been merely tired from the Festival. It was just as Zarina and her friends had feared. No formal announcement was made but whenever Clarion appeared in public, accompanied by the Seasonal Ministers or a tall, white-haired sparrow man Zarina recognized as Lord Milori of the Winter Woods, she was so pale that even the faintest light seemed to slip through her. Her wings had lost their golden luster, becoming merely transparent.

"Have you all heard that Queen Clarion and Lord Milori can't see each other anymore?" Rosetta said one morning at breakfast. A sad expression marred her pretty face.

"Why?" Iridessa's voice was tinged with urgency.

"The Healing talents told her that it's too risky to cross the Winter border, no matter how warmly she's dressed or how thickly her wings are frosted."

"Why can't Lord Milori still visit her?" asked Tink. "The snowmakers—"

"All that snow blowing around just makes her condition worse."

"It's just like before, when they had to be separated," said Silvermist in a choked voice. "Poor Queen Clarion!"

Zarina stared down at the half-eaten blueberry muffin on her plate. If only there was a dust solution that would allow the Winter fairies to cross over, without the need for snow.

She returned to her lab and experimented with the dust in an effort to come up with such a potion. Even with a speck of blue, she was missing one vital ingredient: a piece of a dragon's scale. She substituted different items but none of them worked. She knew her instinct wasn't wrong. A dragon scale was the only thing that would create a protective dust for the Winter fairies.

The prospect terrified Zarina. Not only were dragons rare in Never Land, they were elusive and dangerous, able to char several fairies in a single fiery blast. Thanks to the Fairy Tale Theater storytellers, she knew the location of one dragon, named Kyto, who was so evil that he had been imprisoned in a high cave at the top of Torth Mountain by the queen that had preceded Clarion. He had come close to destroying most of Never Land many years ago.

News that Queen Clarion's mysterious ailment continued to worsen now that she had to be permanently separated from Lord Milori spurred Zarina to seek out Kyto.

She took off early the next morning, armed with her sword and two sacks of alchemized pixie dust. One was to douse flames, the other poppy dust to put Kyto to sleep so she could pry loose one of his scales.

The air grew colder as she flew up the side of the steep mountain. All of Never Land spread out below: a colorful array of multiple rounded hills, carpeted with lush forests; the deep blue sea; rainbow arcs above Mermaid Lagoon; and even Pixie Hollow, divided into four seasons. Zarina could see dark curls of smoke drifting from the mountain cave even at a distance. Swallowing back her fear, and thinking of the good the new dust would do for not only Lord Milori but all the Winter fairies, she pushed on. Her lungs ached from the thin air and her wings burned as she drew closer. The ledge that stretched from the cave was sparsely flecked with flame-singed grass and blackened mushrooms. Scattered amongst these were the charred bones of birds and other creatures.

Gnarled roots that grew from the Bimbim tree on the mountain's peak formed thick bars over the cave's opening. According to the storytellers, these were fireproof so Kyto couldn't disintegrate them with his breath. A twinge of sympathy passed through Zarina until she remembered all the terrible things he had done.

She shuddered when she saw the dragon behind those root-bars. He was enormous, at least twice the size of grown human, and had a head that resembled a crocodile's. Black smoke curdled from his pit-like nostrils. Even though she hovered several feet away, the acrid stench stung her nose and throat and made her eyes water. His hide was made up of silvery-green scales. He slept upon a pile of jewels and gold coins, bounty her former pirate crew would have killed for. His sides, draped by great, leathery wings, rose and fell with each breath.

Zarina nearly collapsed with relief. She wouldn't have to put him to sleep. Perhaps this would be easier than she thought. She drew her sword and glided closer.

She focused on the tip of his pointed tail, which was curled next to his snout, and struggled to keep her sword hand from shaking. All she had to do was slip through a gap in the roots and pry one of the smaller scales loose without waking him. She'd then take off back to Pixie Hollow.

Zarina was suddenly staring into an enormous red eye with a slit pupil. She shot back, her free hand reaching into the bag of poppy dust.

"I won't hurt you, little fairy," Kyto said in a deep, raspy voice that was surprisingly kind. "That hasn't been the case with _most _fairies, but I rather like you. You and I are not much different."

Zarina pointed her sword at him, knowing such a gesture was futile. "What do you mean?"

Kyto raised his head. "I can enter your mind and see your thoughts." His sharp snout stretched into a grin that revealed rows of knife-like teeth. "I can't do that with most creatures, just a special few." He snorted, releasing a thick plume of smoke.

Zarina found herself caught up in his gaze, his eyes fixed on her like setting twin suns. A prickling sensation filled her head.

"I understand why I like you so much." The tingling grew stronger, becoming a blinding pain. Zarina fell to the ground, her dropped sword clattering beside her. She could still see Kyto through the surrounding blades of singed grass. "Yes, glorious," he crooned. "You nearly destroyed Pixie Hollow, just as I almost laid waste to all of Never Land. But you were welcomed back and I…. Well, as you can see, I wasn't shown the same mercy." He placed his claws against the root-bars that formed his prison.

Zarina stared at the ground and wished she could pry Kyto from her mind. Tousled locks of hair tumbled over her face.

"What you did wasn't an accident, was it?" Kyto's voice vibrated in her ears and echoed through her mind.

A familiar rage, which she was sure had long dissipated, emerged. Zarina clenched her fists and strained to force it back. "I thought the pirates were the only ones who appreciated my talent," she said before she could stop herself. Her voice sounded harsh, bitter. "I took the blue dust not only to help them but because I was angry. Angry at Fairy Gary, at Tinker Bell…everyone. They'd rejected my talent. I _wanted _Pixie Hollow to suffer for that."

The memory of looking down at all of Pixie Hollow's denizens during their celebration at the Four Seasons Festival, after she'd put them to sleep with the poppy dust, and the intense triumph she'd felt, slithered into her mind. She'd been furious when Tinker Bell and the others had somehow escaped and come looking for the dust, _her _dust. The only way to stop them had been to switch their talents, but even that didn't—

"See. I told you. We are not so different." Kyto's booming voice echoed.

Zarina fought those memories. She grabbed her sword and scrambled to her feet. "But I've changed." The words came out in a rush. "I no longer feel that way. I'm now using the blue dust to make things better, which is why I'm here." She swallowed. Kyto would _never _help her now.

"Yes, I know, little one. I know why you came." His voice had become sickeningly sweet. With one of his sharp talons, he pried a scale from his back and dropped it onto the ground before Zarina. She stared up at him in shock. "Take it. My gift to you. All I ask in return is that you visit me once in a while. It gets lonely up here."

Zarina didn't move. He reminded her so much of James. A twinge of fresh pain twisted in her chest as she recalled his charming smile, his admiration of her abilities, how they'd been good friends for an entire year…until he had betrayed her.

Renewed fury filled Zarina. Aside from the occasional nightmare, she'd given James very little thought since she'd been back. She now had _true _friends. She didn't appreciate him barging into her mind now.

But she'd learned her lesson. No matter how charming Kyto might act, he was still evil. She had to remain wary.

"I'll come back to visit, in payment for the scale, but I'll never free you, Kyto," she said, sheathing her sword.

He grinned. "I don't expect to be set free, little fairy. All I ask for is your company."

Zarina wished she could believe him. She gathered up the scale, which was the size of her torso but surprisingly light, and, clutching it to her chest, flew off in the direction of Pixie Hollow.

**Author's Note****: I borrowed the dragon Kyto from the **_**Disney Fairies **_**book series and added my own interpretation. He was featured in **_**Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg **_**and **_**Fairies and the Quest for Never Land **_**by Gail Carson Levine. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Zarina returned to her lab and instantly started working on the new dust. She broke off a piece of Kyto's scale and ground it into a fine powder, which she added to the mix. The moment she dropped in a speck of blue, the sparkling gold pixie dust deepened to a fiery red.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, twirling in a circle. Another success!

She poured the contents into a green satchel. After changing into warm clothes, she slung it over her shoulder and dashed out, stopping at Tink's cottage on her way to the Winter Woods.

"Tink!" she practically shouted the moment her friend opened the door. "I just created a dust that will protect the Winter fairies when they visit the warmer seasons. Now they won't need to have snow blown on them and can stay here longer."

"Zarina, that's wonderful!" Tink jumped up and down in excitement. "That means my sister Periwinkle can visit more and even join us at Fairy Camp. I've been wanting to take her to meet Lizzy and now she can. And Lord Milori—"

"Yes. He can stay here with Queen Clarion for as long as he likes."

Tink grabbed a long, thick coat from her closet and slung it over her shoulders. "Let's go!"

Zarina could feel the chill as they neared the Winter province before they even reached the border. Blinding white snow dotted with barren trees formed a striking contrast to the rich golds and reds of the Autumn Forest they were leaving. Periwinkle, Gliss, Spike, and Sled, who had been playing in the snow, hurried over as the border sparrow man frosted Tink and Zarina's wings.

"Zarina has a surprise for you guys," said Tink. "And it'll help Lord Milori too."

"What is it?" asked Gliss, her pale ponytail bobbing.

"Is it a new kind of dust?" Periwinkle, whose wings had taken on an iridescent glow, along with Tink's, peered into Zarina's bag.

"It is. Let's see if it works." Zarina sprinkled a pinch of dust over each Winter fairy. It flashed like fire sparks as it settled on their clothes, wings, and hair. "Now you should be able to stay in the warm seasons without snowmakers."

"Yay! I'll go first," said Gliss, fluttering across the tree-bridge border into the sunlight on the other side. "So this is what it feels like," she shouted, flying in a circle. "It's great! I didn't know warmth could feel so good."

"Hey, wait up!" called Spike, hurrying to catch up with her friend. Sled and Periwinkle followed.

"I have to find Rosetta and tell her," said Sled, a grin stretching across his handsome face. He snatched up a daisy the moment he crossed over and flew off.

"Zarina, thank you!" Periwinkle, her cheeks flushed a bright pink, dashed back into Winter and nearly knocked Zarina over in an eager hug.

"Now we have to try this on Lord Milori," said Tink as the three of them flew toward his palace. It rose above the endless snow in crystalline spires.

"They have something for Lord Milori," Periwinkle said to the courtier at the door.

Zarina caught her breath as they entered, following the sparrow man into a vast room made completely of ice.

"There are fairies from the warm seasons here to see you, my Lord," the courtier said to Lord Milori.

"Sir," said Periwinkle, bobbing her head. "Zarina has dust that makes it so we Winter fairies can cross the border and not be harmed by the warmth. Now we can visit without having snow blown on us."

"Is that so?" Milori cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir," said Zarina. "You sprinkle it on, just like regular pixie dust." The moment she spoke, she remembered, with a pang of horror, that he didn't use pixie dust. He couldn't fly on his own because of his broken wing.

"You were the one who performed with the different colors of pixie dust at the Festival, were you not?" he said before she could apologize for that comment. He smiled down at her with kind brown eyes. Zarina nodded. "That's quite a talent you have there." Pride filled her.

She sprinkled the dust on him before they headed back to the border. Zarina could sense Milori's eagerness as he climbed onto his great snowy owl. She, Tink, and Periwinkle flew beside them out of the Winter Woods and toward the Pixie Dust Tree.

Queen Clarion was holding counsel with the Seasonal Ministers in her bedchamber when they returned. She was frail and her skin held a pale translucence. She gasped with delight and surprise when she saw Milori. He gingerly took her into his arms. "But…how…?" she asked in a stunned voice after he had kissed her.

"This young lady," he indicated Zarina, "created a dust that allows Winter fairies to safely cross over."

Warmth flooded Zarina as Queen Clarion smiled at her. "Thank you so much." The queen kissed her forehead and nearly fell over. Lord Milori placed a firm arm around Clarion's shoulders to steady her.

She'll be fine, now that Lord Milori is with her, Zarina later tried to convince herself as she headed home. Her mood brightened when she saw Tink and Peri sitting on a branch, talking and giggling. Their identical wings sparkled in an array of rainbow patterns. Periwinkle's brilliant white hair stood out against the deepening shadows. Above them, Rosetta and Sled chased one another in a friendly game of tag while Spike and Gliss, lazily lounging on an upper branch, watched.

Zarina smiled. At least her Alchemy talent was proving to be useful.

* * *

><p>She was trapped in the lantern as James held it up, his handsome face distorted in a sneer.<p>

"Bon voyage, little captain," he taunted as he tossed her over the side of the ship.

She screamed as she plummeted, and slammed painfully against the glass when it hit the water. Panic overwhelmed her as seawater gushed into the container, soaking her clothes, her hair, her wings. Tink and the others hovered above.

Zarina pleaded with them to help her. In seconds the water would fill her lungs, pull her deeper into the sea.

"You betrayed us. Why should we save you?" Tink said coldly. Laughing, she and the others flew away.

Zarina jolted awake. She gulped in deep breaths and scanned the room. The table covered with her lab equipment stood before the unlit fireplace. Early morning sunlight spilled through the window.

She was home. Her friends had not deserted her. They never had. Still, it took several moments for her rapid heart to calm and her breathing to return to normal. She'd had similar nightmares before but this was the worse so far, the most vivid. Was Kyto responsible? With revulsion, she remembered her promise to visit him. She'd almost forgotten.

The shrill blast of a shell horn yanked Zarina from her thoughts. Her blood chilled. Those horns were only blown for emergencies. If only she was still dreaming. She quickly dressed and dashed outside.

Swarms of fairies and sparrow men streamed toward the Pixie Dust Tree. Many looked as if they had just woken up. The Seasonal Ministers hovered before the Tree, their faces drawn and distressed. Queen Clarion! Ice clotted Zarina's heart. She spotted her friends in the crowd and hurriedly joined them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I apologize for alerting all of you at this early hour," said the Minister of Autumn, raising his voice to be heard above the mumbling crowd. He wrung his hands. "Queen Clarion has taken a turn for the worst. The Healing talents are doing all they can and Lord Milori has been at her side this entire time. If anyone has any ideas for a possible cure, it would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, I suggest we keep our hopes up and go about our business. That's what Queen Clarion wants."

Distressed murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"This is bad," said Clank, glancing around at all the troubled faces.

"I'll say it is." Bobble's eyes were enormous behind his dewdrop spectacles. "This is one thing we Tinkers can't fix."

"What'll we do if Queen Clarion…?" Iridessa buried her face in her hands and drew in shuttering breaths.

"Everything will be fine, Sunshine," Rosetta said with poorly disguised optimism. "This is Queen Clarion we're talking about. She'll pull through."

Zarina dashed away. She needed to be alone, to think. If only her Alchemy could do more than switch and enhance talents, allow the Winter fairies to cross over, and grow Pixie Dust Trees. A dozen Trees wouldn't save Queen Clarion. There had to be a mixture that could!

Inspiration for a life-giving dust came to her but the main ingredients were impossible to obtain: a piece of a rainbow, a lock of mermaid hair, and the tail feather of a giant neverbird, the fastest bird in Never Land.

It was hopeless. The Healing talents _had _to come up with something. She headed for Torth Mountain. At least Kyto would be a distraction.

"I see there is great distress in Pixie Hollow," he said in his rumbly voice. He peered into a gilded hand mirror clutched in his claw. It was oval and not much bigger than his eye. "The queen is very ill."

"How do you know? Is that a magic mirror?" She alighted on the ground but kept her distance. In the midst of her inner turmoil, she was grateful for the zephyr that blew his smoke away from her.

"Indeed it is." He lowered the mirror and peered down at her. "You are very astute. It allows me to see all over Never Land since I can't leave my cave. The previous fairy queen—what was her name?—gave it to me. She figured it was an act of kindness." He snorted.

"You're right about Queen Clarion." Tears stung Zarina's eyes but she blinked them back. She refused to show any weakness before Kyto. "No one has been able to heal her."

"It's to be expected." He examined his talons. "Her time is up, her light is fading."

"That's not true!" Anger bubbled up inside her. She reached for her sword only to find, to her dismay, she didn't have it with her. "There has to be a cure. She will get better."

"Ah, little fairy, you are one of the newer Arrivals, are you not? You can't fathom how old Clarion is. She's been around for a long, long time. Not as long as me, of course, but her reign has exceeded that of any other Pixie Hollow queen. Her time is up, is all."

Zarina turned, prepared to fly off. She'd kept her promise and visited. She didn't have to stay and listen to this.

"You realize you'd make a great queen."

She lowered her wings and turned back to him. "Me?"

"Why not you?" Kyto's muzzle stretched into a toothy grin. "Your talent is the most powerful of all the fairies. Not only do you have control over _every _talent but there are endless possibilities for pixie dust that only you can come up with. You _deserve _to become the new queen. Queen Zarina. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? That would certainly be much better than a pirate captain!"

Zarina remembered how the pirates had praised and honored her, before their ultimate betrayal. "And you _enjoyed _that, did you not?" Kyto practically crooned as she flushed with pleasure at the memory. "That praise would be tenfold in Pixie Hollow if you took Clarion's place as queen."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

She froze, conflicted. Her thoughts urged her to fly, to get as far away from Kyto as she could. He was using his charms to manipulate her, just like James. She still couldn't move.

"You realize you can't save Queen Clarion." His words had lost their syrupy tone. "No one can. You thought it yourself, little fairy. The substances to make the life-giving dust are impossible to get. Pixie Hollow has to face the fact that her reign is over. A successor will have to be chosen, no matter what."

Zarina slumped onto a mushroom and kicked at the dirt with her boot. If Kyto was right, there was nothing anyone could do for Queen Clarion, and time was running out.

"You know, there is a potion that would compel Clarion, with her dying breath, to declare you, Zarina, as the new queen."

Temptation stirred within her. She couldn't fight it. Kyto had nothing to gain from this. He would still remain imprisoned in his cave. An idea for such a mixture came to her and the ingredients were much simpler than the cure: just gold pixie dust, a half a speck of blue, and three dragon tears.

"That's right, little one," he said kindly. "That's all you'd need. And I've already supplied the tears." He plucked a gold vial from his treasure pile, placed it onto the ground, and rolled it toward her with his snout. "It's rather heavy. I apologize, but gold is all I have. A little pixie dust should take care of that."

Zarina stood, tipped the vial up, and opened it. Steam hissed out.

"Be careful," said Kyto. "You don't want to spill a single drop or the potion might not work."

Zarina replaced the cap and studied the vial. Solid gold. She'd heard that dragons _never _gave up their treasures.

"Return it to me once you're finished," he continued. "But you'd better act quickly. It doesn't look as if Queen Clarion will make it past sunset." Zarina glanced skyward. The sun was drifting toward noon. Anxiety pumped through her.

"But how will I—?"

"Just sprinkle the dust onto Queen Clarion when no one is looking." Kyto tilted his head and focused his enormous carbuncle-red eye on her. "You are a clever fairy. I trust you'll figure it out. After all, you were the one who put nearly all of Pixie Hollow to sleep when you stole that blue dust. Not even Clarion herself knew it was missing until one of your friends gave it to her."

Zarina let the vial fall and stepped back, shaking her head, struggling to fight her feelings. The prospect of becoming queen was tempting. It _would_ surpass her stint as a pirate captain…countless years of unending praise.

"No. I'm not going to do this." The words were difficult to release.

"So, my wicked little fairy friend does have a conscience after all," he sneered. "Just who are you trying to protect? Your so-called 'friends?'" He stretched his sinuous neck through the root-bars until the tip of his snout touched the tear-filled vial. Smoke streamed from his nostrils, clotting Zarina's throat. She coughed and backed away. "I suppose it's my duty to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Her wings flared, prepared to fly, but her feet remained stubbornly rooted to the ground.

"No one in Pixie Hollow cared in the least that you were missing for an entire year. Once you left, they simply went on with their lives, enjoying their talents, and not giving you a second thought. Why, if you hadn't returned to steal that dust, they would have completely forgotten about you."

"You're lying." Zarina glared up at him.

"Are you sure?" Kyto cocked his heavy brow and held up the mirror. "Don't forget, I have my way of knowing such things."

Zarina clenched her fists. The anger and resentment that had motivated her to take that dust wormed through her. She _should _become queen. With her ability to switch and control every talent, her subjects would _have_ to respect her.

She beat her wings, lifting slightly off the ground, and circled the vial, spilling sparkling gold dust over it. Triumph filled her as it rose weightlessly into the air. She'd fly it back to her lab. Already she anticipated mixing Kyto's tears with the regular dust and adding the blue speck. What color dust would it make?

"Good." Kyto drew back. "Hurry home and mix that potion. Once you are queen, you can then free me."

"Free you?" Zarina pulled the floating vial to her chest and settled on the ground. Despite the hot dragon tears, the container felt cold, a chill that seeped into her.

"Of course. Together we'd be unstoppable, me a mighty dragon, and you with your unlimited Pixie Dust Alchemy powers. Why rule just Pixie Hollow? Why not take over all of Never Land?" A stream of fire burst from his mouth in his excitement. Zarina leaped out of the way.

Desire overwhelmed her for a flicker of a second until her gaze settled on the root-bars that formed his prison. According to the storyteller Lyria, he had nearly set all of Never Land on fire decades ago. It took the previous queen, an army of fairies and sparrow men, Lost Boys, and many other Never Land denizens to capture him.

She glanced down at the vial in her arms. Her thoughts turned toward Tinker Bell and her other good friends. Her most recent nightmare came back to her. No! That's not how it had happened. They'd saved her life, despite what she had done and the way she'd treated them. Later they encouraged her to return with them to Pixie Hollow, even though she felt she deserved banishment. And Fairy Gary and Queen Clarion had certainly missed her.

Zarina pulled off the vial's stopper. "No, Kyto. I won't do this." She dumped the contents onto the ground, where they steamed and dried up instantly, then flung the container at him.

"I should have known. You're really no different than the other fairies." Kyto's bitter voice echoed against the mountainside and made the ground shake.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Kyto," Zarina said with a graceful bow.

"You know what I do to regular fairies."

She dashed to the side as a plume of flame burst toward her.

"You realize the queen is still going to die," he called as she turned to leave. "You'll never obtain those objects you need to restore her."

"Maybe _I _can't," she shouted back, keeping her distance in case he blasted at her again. "But I have friends who can."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"I have an idea for a dust that could save Queen Clarion," Zarina told her friends. Tinker Bell, Rosetta, Silvermist, Iridessa, Vidia, Fawn, Clank, Bobble, and Terence were gathered around her on the small island in the middle of Havendish Stream. She had an empty satchel slung over one shoulder.

"Zarina, that's the best news we've heard all day," said Tink as the others cheered.

"But I'm going to need your help," she continued once everyone had quieted.

"Whatever it takes, Sugar," said Rosetta.

"Good." She told them the ingredients.

"The rainbow's an easy one," said Iridessa. "Come on, Sil." She rose into the air and grabbed hold of a ray of sunlight. Silvermist gathered a ball of water from the river into her arms. She flung this upward, shattering it into a fine mist. As Iridessa trailed the sun-ray through the water droplets, it burst into vivid iridescent colors. Everyone gasped.

Iridessa tore off a piece of the rainbow as if it were fine gauze, and placed it into Zarina's satchel.

"That's one," said Zarina, feeling a twinge of triumph. "But does anyone have any ideas on how to get the others?"

"Mermaids live underwater," said Silvermist. "But even we Water fairies can't swim."

"Yeah, but don't they come to the surface to sun themselves?" said Fawn.

"Let's head off to Mermaid Lagoon and see if we can find any," said Vidia. She took off, her long black hair trailing behind.

"You guys go on ahead," said Tink. "Clank, Bobble, and I will start working on the contraption to catch a neverbird."

"We've never built something like that before," Clank whispered, twisting his hands. "What if—"

"Quiet, worrywart!" Bobble elbowed him in the side. "We've got to. Queen Clarion's life depends on it."

"Don't worry," Tink said to Zarina with a forced smile. "We've got it under control. It'll be ready by the time you get back."

Zarina glanced toward the sun as she and the others sped above the trees to Mermaid Lagoon. The sun had shifted to late afternoon. Kyto's warning that Queen Clarion wouldn't make it past sunset stabbed at her mind. Was she asking her friends to do the impossible?

Vidia had already arrived and stood on the sandy shore. They landed beside her. Tiny waves lapped the white sand. "What took you guys so long?" Before anyone could answer, she pointed to the middle of the Lagoon.

A solitary mermaid knelt on a large rock. Zarina stared. She had only seen mermaids from a distance and never paid them much attention. The creature's silvery-white skin held a subtle glow like moonlight and her long hair was the same deep blue as the Lagoon. She preened as she gazed down at her reflection against the glass-smooth water.

"What do we do now?" said Iridessa. "Can we just go up and ask her?"

"No," said Silvermist. "Mermaids are really vain." She shyly pushed a lock of shiny black hair behind one pointed ear. "They refuse to talk to anyone, except other mermaids. The only way we can get their attention is by giving them compliments." Zarina gazed at her in surprise. Silvermist usually blurted out silly remarks but she seemed to know a lot about mermaids. Well, she was a Water talent after all.

"So you all tell her how beautiful she is," said Rosetta, waving a pair of clippers, "while I sneak up behind and cut off a lock of her hair?" She shuddered at the suggestion and patted her own hair.

"Don't look at me," said Fawn. "My specialty is furry and feathered critters, not mermaids. Sil?"

"I may be a Water fairy but I don't think she'll talk to me. But maybe…" She looked at Terence.

"Me?" He ran a hand through his tousled blond hair.

"Yes, you." Zarina grabbed his arm and tugged him forward. "Go ahead. Pretend she's Tink."

"Tink…?" A red flush dappled his cheeks. "How do—?"

"Everyone knows how you feel about her, Terence." Zarina grinned and gave him a slight push. "Now go on. Give it all you've got."

"You distract the mermaid, Sweetpea," Rosetta said, pulling him into the air behind her. "And I'll do my part."

Terence took off his acorn cap and fiddled with it as he landed beside the mermaid. He was so tiny next to her. She didn't see him and continued running her fingers through her hair.

Terence cleared his throat. "Hello…ma'am." His voice was soft, nervous. Zarina could see, even at a distance, that his face still had a ruddy hue. "I just wanted to say that you're the most beautiful mermaid I've ever seen."

She lowered her hand and blinked down at him. A smile crept across her flawless face. "Really?" Her voice was a high-pitched squeal.

"It's working!" gasped Fawn as Rosetta fluttered behind the mermaid's head and reached for a lock of her hair.

The mermaid moved, sliding down onto her belly to be eye-level with Terence, and cupped her chin in her hands. She waved her shimmering blue tail, whacking Rosetta.

Zarina and the others gasped as the Garden fairy tumbled through the air but quickly righted herself. She gave them a thumbs-up with her free hand and fluttered back toward the mermaid.

"That was close!" breathed Iridessa.

"You're more beautiful than a…" Terence continued, still fidgeting with his cap, "than the finest pearl, than a sunset." A bright pink glow tinged the mermaid's cheeks.

Rosetta grabbed a lock of her hair and snipped. "I got it!" she called as the mermaid jolted back. "Oops!"

"My beautiful hair!" the mermaid howled as she tugged at her remaining locks. "What have you done? It's ruined." She splashed water at Rosetta and Terence. They slipped away just in time.

"Here you go." Rosetta handed the deep blue lock of hair to Zarina. "Now let's get out of here!"

By the time they made it back to Havendish Stream, Tink, Clank, and Bobble were putting the finishing touches on the neverbird trapper. It was a large cage, made of metal tubes, wires, and a fishing net. An enormous balloon woven from dandelion fluff was tethered to it.

"Nice job," said Zarina, admiring their handiwork. "Now we just have to find a neverbird."

"Leave it to me," said Vidia, dashing skyward. "I know where they live. I'll get one to chase me. Just have that contraption ready." She sped off.

They sprinkled the balloon with pixie dust and dragged it into the air. "I'll talk to the bird," said Fawn. "Comfort it while someone plucks a feather. Neverbirds don't do well caged up."

"We'll let it go once we have the feather," said Tink.

The air was shattered by a piercing scream. A blur of purple and black dashed toward them, followed by a colorful, human-sized bird. "Hurry!" yelled Vidia.

Tink and Bobble maneuvered the cage directly into the neverbird's path as Clank held the hinged door open. He slammed it shut as the bird was captured. It was almost too big for the enclosure, the netting pressing into its downy sides.

The neverbird was beautiful, each feather a different color. It had a curved beak, golden eyes, and curling tail feathers that rippled like a veil in the breeze.

The creature briefly reminded Zarina of Kyto, trapped. At least this was temporary for the bird.

Fawn gingerly stroked its head. "You'll be fine. We'll let you go in a second, if you promise not to eat us." The bird tipped its head in a slight nod. "We just need something from you."

The neverbird squawked as Tink yanked a bright yellow feather from its tail.

"Good boy," Fawn crooned. "You did well. Now we'll let you go." She looked at Clank. His hand was on the latch. "You'll remember your promise, right?"

The neverbird nodded. Clank released it. It shot away at a rapid speed, disappearing into the clouds.

"We did it!" Tink shouted, spinning in a circle and waving the feather. She handed it to Zarina. Everyone cheered. "Now you can make the dust to save Queen Clarion."

Twilight spilled a rich golden glow all over Pixie Hollow by the time they returned. Anxiety filled Zarina but she struggled not to let it show. Everyone crowded into her cottage and watched as she cut up the rainbow shred, mermaid hair, and feather, and added them to the gold dust in an acorn bowl. She stirred the mixture then used a pair of tweezers to pick up a grain of incandescent blue dust. "Here we go." She bit her lip as she dropped the speck in. The others waited, breathless.

Like a pebble dropped into a pond, a ripple of blinding colors transformed the gold dust. The intense glow filled Zarina's cottage with rainbow light.

"You did it!" Tink gave Zarina a firm hug as everyone shouted with joy.

"We have to hurry." Zarina poured the life-giving dust into the satchel and headed for the door. "There isn't much time."

The sun was a huge ball of orange as they flew toward the Pixie Dust Tree. Fear tightened Zarina's throat. What if they were they too late?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Fairy Mary hurried toward them when they entered Queen Clarion's bedchamber. Her round face was swollen and blotchy, as if she'd been crying. "It's hopeless. Queen Clarion's almost completely faded away." She blew her nose on a leaf handkerchief.

"We have dust that will help." Zarina held up her satchel. She could barely hear her own words over the rapid pounding of her heart.

"Let's hope so, for all our sakes," said Fairy Mary, crossing her fingers.

Lord Milori knelt beside Clarion's bed with his head lowered. His white hair, which was uncharacteristically mussed, concealed most of his face. The queen lay in the bed, her long, loose hair draped over her pillow. A twisting sensation filled Zarina's chest. Clarion looked so fragile, so ephemeral that she appeared to float. Her skin had become as diaphanous as a fairy wing.

Zarina reached into her bag, pulling out a handful of dust. Its multicolored light flooded the room and shone through Clarion as if she were made of glass. Zarina sprinkled it over her, then stepped back and held her breath.

Nothing happened. Disappointment filled her like poison. After all they had gone through to get the ingredients, they had failed. No, _she _had failed. She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

Seconds later, someone nudged her. "Zarina, look!" Her eyes flew open at the sound of Tink's excited voice.

The iridescent dust swirled around Queen Clarion and lifted her into the air. Lord Milori gasped and rose to his feet.

Color returned to Clarion's skin and her wings, which had hung dull and limp moments before, unfurled into golden splendor. Her nightgown transformed into her dress of sparkling pixie dust. Her vivid blue eyes opened as she was lowered to the floor. She studied her hands then scanned the room with a stunned expression. Her gaze settled on a grinning Lord Milori. He swept her into his arms and gingerly kissed her lips.

Zarina felt as if she would burst with happiness as the others drew her into a tight group hug.

"I feel so much better," Clarion gasped. "What happened?"

Heat rushed into Zarina's face as Milori took her hand and gently pulled her forward. "It was Zarina. Her dust is what cured you."

The queen's smile made her face impossibly beautiful. She held out her arms. "Zarina, I—"

"It wasn't just me, Queen Clarion." She turned toward her friends. "It was all of us. Without them, I never would have been able to get the ingredients I needed."

Clarion's smile broadened and her glow grew brighter. "I am deeply grateful. To all of you."

Lord Milori beckoned a courtier over. "This calls for a celebration. Tonight. Let all of Pixie Hollow know that the queen has recovered."

"Yes, my Lord." The courtier dashed away.

"And you are all to be the guests of honor," said Clarion.

"A party!" gushed Rosetta. "In our honor! I'll pick out our gowns. Well, for us girls." She giggled as she glanced at Terence, Clank, and Bobble. "You fellows are on your own." She turned to Zarina. "And we've got to do something with that wild hair!"

Pixie Hollow erupted into a whirl of activity as everyone prepared for the celebration. Light fairies hung colorful, glowing orbs from the surrounding branches, the Garden talents lined the paths with flowers of every hue, the Water fairies created elaborate fountains, and the Winter fairies formed an ice rink for everyone to skate on. A long table was set with tantalizing meals and an endless array of sweets, prepared by the Cooking and Baking talents.

It was a beautiful night. Fireflies danced in the warm, fragrant air and stars coated the sky. The Second Star shone amongst them like a miniature sun and a full, yellow moon hung low on the horizon. Crickets chirped, a sound that created a pleasing counterpoint to the Music talents' melodies.

Zarina, sitting on the bow of the _Jolly Roger_, watched the activity below. Fairies and sparrow men from every season, garbed in their finest clothes, danced, skated, and feasted. She smiled when she saw Lord Milori gently guide Queen Clarion around on the ice, then sighed and looked away.

She had dressed up for the celebration but slipped away the moment the festivities started. She was clad in a gown woven from golden flower petals that glittered with countless tiny dewdrop beads Silvermist had made. Thanks to Rosetta, her thick, auburn hair tumbled over her bare shoulders in soft curls.

She was free of Kyto's mental grip but her conscience tugged at her. A hot tear tickled her cheek.

"What's got you down, Sugar?" She nearly leaped off the rail at the sound of Rosetta's voice.

Rosetta, Tink, Vidia, Fawn, Iridessa, and Silvermist surrounded her, gazing at her with concern. They all looked gorgeous in their attire. Their wings glowed against the night.

"Zarina, is everything all right?" Tink placed a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and brushed away the tear. "Yes. It's just that…" She turned from them and drew her knees to her chest. "I fear, deep down, I'm evil."

"What are you talking about?" asked Iridessa. "You're not evil."

"She's right," said Silvermist. "You couldn't be. Your dust saved Queen Clarion. This party is in your honor too."

Zarina turned back to them but couldn't meet their eyes. "First, I sided with pirates and stole the blue dust. And then I befriended Kyto and almost gave in to his temptation to let Queen Clarion die so…so I could take her place." She expected them to recoil from her in horror.

"The dragon Kyto?" Vidia settled next to Zarina and slipped an arm around her. "Sweetie, I was his friend long before your Arrival."

Zarina blinked at her. "You were?"

"It's not one of my proudest moments, but yes. Why, you have nothing on me when it comes to bad behavior. But no one talks about my past crimes anymore, which is why _everyone _in Pixie Hollow now loves me." She grinned and winked. Zarina smiled.

"Just look at all the good you've done since you returned," said Tink, taking Zarina's hand. "Come with us back to the celebration. Everyone's been asking about you."

Zarina nodded and rose into the air. As she flew with her friends, she pondered an idea for a new pixie dust potion that could mend broken wings. She was filled with hope that Lord Milori would fly again one day.

**The End **


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